Upender mechanism for tile machines



Aug. 21, 1962 J. D. scHMUNK ETAL 3,050,198

UPENDER. MECHANISM FOR TILE MACHINES Original Filed May l1,\1959 5 Sheets-Sheei l Q BYMM U ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1962 J. D. scHMUNK ETAL 3,050,198

UPENDER. MECHANISM FOR TILE MACHINES Original Filed May ll, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. JOHN D. SCHMUNK HALL E. GILLILAND iSv/2Mb. @aan ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1962 J. D. scHMUNK ETAL 3,050,198

UPENDER. MECHANISM FOR TILE MACHINES Original Filed May 1l, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N V EN TORS. JOHN D. SCHMUNK Big-IALL E. GILLILAND ATTORNEY irrite tts This invention relates to the manufacture of tile, perticularly clay tile for drainage purposes or the like, and is especially concerned with the handling of such tile.

An object is to produce new and improved mechanism for handling tile in semi-plastic condition in sizeable quantities in such manner that they are shifted simultaneously from one plane to another without damage.

Another object is to produce mechanism which operates recurrently to engage a quantity of tile in a hori- Zontal position, advance same to a discharge station, and then shift the tile to a vertical position where they are discharged on a suitable conveying instrumentality.

A further object is to produce simple and efficient mechanism to which a quantity of tile is repeatedly delivered whereupon the tile is secured or clamped and then upended to a vertical position from which the tile are released in stacks upon a kiln car or other conveyance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and, by way of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE l is a diagrammatic plan view in the nature of a iiow chart showing the path traveled by the tile from the time it is delivered to the machine until it is deposited in stacked formation on a kiln car;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the machine showing a group of tile upon the upender tray with the cutter dolly having raised and retracted, a broken line in position showing the upender tray being rocked to its vertical position preparatory to discharging the stacks of severed tile upon a kiln car;

FIGURE 3 is 4an end elevation of the upender tray showing a row of severed tile clamped thereon;

FlGURE 4 is a view of the upender tray in its vertical position with the clamping members released and the stacks of tile deposited upon a kiln car;

FIGURE 5 is a detail sectional view showing the stop plate at one end of the second stage conveyor against which the series of tile Vare advanced; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the stop plate moved to inoperative position away from the series of tile.

FlGURE l illustrates a machine to which relatively long lengths of clay tile are delivered directly from a conventional extruder machine. For example the extruder will move a double column of tile at the rate of approximately ninety feet per minute, the endless tile being cut to forty-two inch lengths and these lengths are delivered in a double row to a dump` conveyor A (FIG- URE l). The relatively long tile T is advanced on a dump conveyor A until a limit switch is reached whereupon the conveyor stops and tilts laterally to discharge the tiles T upon a slightly inclined table lil along which the tiles roll until they reach a second stage conveyor B. In the region of the table it? is an electric counter 11 which, after eight tiles T have been delivered to the second stage conveyor B, energizes the latter, thereby to advance the group of eight tiles endwise to a position beneath a cutter dolly C, which lowers to cause rollers to engage the tiles in such manner as to separate them one from the other. When the cutter dolly is set in motion, cutter knives are actuated to extend into the several tiles in such manner that each tile T is severed into three tiles Ta with an expendable end ring Tb. Thus the knives remain relatively stationary and the severance is actually effected by the rolling motion of the tile caused by the advancing movement of the cutter dolly. The cutter dolly advances until it is disposed above an upended tray D whereupon the dolly raises and then retracts to its original position to repeat the operation on the next succeeding `group of tiles T. 'I'he tiles Ta and the rings Tb on the upender tray are then clamped at opposite ends by members which hold the group in position. Then the upender tray is propelled forwardly and rocked to a vertical position directly above a kiln car E. The end clamping members are released in such a manner that the stacks of tile drop approximately one inch upon the deck of the kiln car. In order to make way for the next stack of tile, the kiln car is moved ahead to be in place for the next unit to 'be set in close relation. In this regard it should be understood that the cutter dolly .alternately stops at an advanced position and at a position slightly rearwardly, this indexing enabling the stacks of tile when discharged upon the kiln car to crotch with the other stack. This enables a kiln car to carry a greater load as it passes through the kiln. Reference is made to application Serial No. 812,393, iiled May ll, 1959 (now Patent No, 3,003,216) of which this application is a division, and in which detail description of the maachine is set forth.

The cutter dolly rolls the severed tile sections Ta and rings Tb to an upender tray D and after it reaches the end of its travel by engagement with one of two limit switches (not shown), the guide frame raises and thereby lifts the cutter dolly laway from the tile. Then the cutter dolly returns to its original position. It will be understood that one of the two limit switches controls the length of movement of the cutter dolly. A group of tile is delivered to its maximum forward position and the next dolly movement delivers the succeeding group one-half tile `diameter shorter and this operation goes on alternately. This achieves the Crotch ysetting on the kiln car E as will more fully appear hereinafter.

The upender tray is mounted on an upright supporting frame 63, beneath which the kiln cars E travel as will be hereinafter described. Mounted on the frame 63 is a pair of laterally spaced tracks 65 engaged by front rollers 66 of the upender tray, these rollers being mounted on the end portions `of a transverse laxle 67. The axle 67 is mounted in vertical frame plates 68, and, specifically, in downwardly and forwardly inclined extensions of these plates, as shown on FIGURE 3. Fixed to the upper ends of the plates 63 at opposite ends thereof are transverse U beams 69, on the upper end of which is secured a dat platform 76 which receives the severed tile advanced to it by the cutter dolly. At the rear end portion of the side plates 68 are mounted rear rollers 7l which roll along horizontal tracks 72 spaced above the tracks 65 and terminating short of the outer ends of the tracks 65.

Disposed at substantially right angles to the tray platform 7 tl at the left hand thereof (FIGURE 3) is an angle iron clamping bar 73 which has a foam rubber lining 7 i for engaging one end of the series of tile delivered to the tray. Fixed respectively to the underside of the clamping bar 73 and to the undersurface of the platform 7h are telescoping guide members 75 and 76. A cross bar 77 is xed to the guide member 75 and connected thereto is a piston 79 operating in an air cylinder 73. By introducing air into one end or the other of the cylinder 73, the clamping bar 73 is moved to and nom tile-clamping position.

At the right hand end (FIGURE 3) of the upender tray is a `clamping plate 80 which cooperates with the clamping ba-r 73 to clamp the series of stacks of tile Ta and their rings Tb therebetween, the plate 80 bearing against the rings Tb. A bent arm 81 is disposed beneath the tray platform 70 and is xed at one end to the clamping plate 80 and the opposite end is pivoted at 82 to a bracket depending from the yunderside of the platform 70. An air cylinder is connected to the underside `of the platform and has a piston 84 operating against Athe bent arm 81 -for moving the clamping plate 80 to Land Afrom tile clamping position.

After the `cutter dolly has advanced its group of severed tile Ta and end rings Tb to the upender platform 70, it moves out of the lway and then in response to a suitable limit switch (not shown) the clamping bar 73 and clamping plate 80 move toward each other in order securely to `clamp the tile stacks in position. Thereupon a hydraulic cylinder S5 -on the track 72 is placed kin 0peration to advance its piston rod 86, which is connected to the left hand end (FIGURE 2) of the upender tray and advances the upender tray until the rollers 66 engage end stops 87. Continued movement of the piston rod 86 rocks the upender tray in a clockwise manner about the rollers 66 to its upright position directly above and slightly yspaced from the platform of a kiln car E. The stroke of the piston rod 86 is so controlled that it starts gradually, moves quickly to the end stops 87 and then rocks the upender tray to a vertical position Without damage to the stacks of tile. When the upender tray is in vertical position, a limi-t switch (not shown) activates `a solenoid air valve which causes the air cylinders 83 quickly to rforce the clamping plate 80 out from beneath the stacks of tile. Thereafter the kiln car is moved ahead to be in place `for the next Vgroup of tile.

lNumerous changes in details of construction, arrangement, and operation may be elected Without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claim. Reference has herein 'been made to various limit switches, solenoid valves and the like Without illustration thereof Ibecause details of same form no part of the present invention yand such structure as well las the operation of same .are Well known to those skilled in this art.

What we claim is:

In a machine of the class described, a pair of vertically spaced tracks, an upender tray having `a platform for receiving parallel rows of tile arranged in end to end relation, roller means on the inner end of said tray translatorily engaging the upper of said tracks, roller means depending from the Outer end of said tray translatorily engaging the lower of 4said tracks, tile clamping means on the inner end `of said platform shiftable in directions axially of the tile, tile clamping means on the outer end of the platform shiftable in directions laterally of the tile, stop means on the lower of said tracks e11- gageable by said second roller means, and means to shift said tray to and fro, said shifting means causing said second roller means to engage lsaid stop means and then continue its movement until the tray is rocked about said stop means -to .a vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,698 Von Beren May 23, 1950 2,673,654 Kaufman Mar. 30, 1954 2,708,047 Seidle May 10, 1955 2,800,992 Kuper July 30, 1957 

